Clinical Dermatology (British Journal of Hospital Medicine) Book

During the 5 years of their undergraduate course medical students rarely spend longer than a few weeks studying dermatology. What can be achieved? Perhaps the most that can be hoped for is a kindling of interest in the speciality, a realization of its scope and the ability to recognize and manage the commonest of diseases. No doubt this can best be attained by charismatic teachers, but a well written textbook in which the enthusiasm of the authors for their subject is conveyed, also plays an important part. There are already a number of books available to undergraduates and a new one will only be welcome if it presents a new, fresh approach. Authors writing today have the advantage of modern publishing techniques to present their work clearly and attractively. Certainly "Clinical Dermatology" uses these to the full. It has what every tabloid seeks: colour on every page. The illustrations are lavish with plenty of colour photographs, together with two-tone tables and line diagrams printed in a rather lichenoid hue. This works well for the diagrams but detracts from the tables which would have been clearer in black and white. Most of the photographs are small in order to fit into the half column format but the quality of printing is such that clarity is not lost, and even the reviewer was able to make the diagnosis from some of them. Although dermatology is a very visual subject, presentation is not the only important aspect. There can be a temptation to allow pictures to carry an inadequate text; a bad practise since clarity of description indicates understanding. This book does not fall into such a trap. The writing is admirably succinct, avoiding verbosity and hyperbole and containing descriptions of disease which are models of clarity and brevity, although the relaxed style occasionally lapses into slang. The 24 chapters in the book are classified in standard fashion. Each chapter contains a number of tables and highlighted "learning points" giving short aphorisms or brief pieces of advice.